Previously, we cloned and sequenced the three novel MHC class I genes expressed by the C3H UV fibrosarcoma, 1591. We have extended the analysis of the polymorphic nature of these genes relative to the C3H strain. Scattered nucleotide differences among the tumor genes as compared with the C3H H-2 and Qa sequences make it highly unlikely that the novel tumor genes were generated by recombination between endogenous C3H sequences. Given that two of the tumor clones, A149 and A166, are remarkably similar in amino acid and DNA sequence to H-2Lq and H-2Dq, respectively, we also examined the 1591 RP2 and GUS loci for evidence of polymorphism. Compared with C3H and B10.AKM, 1591 appears to be heterozygous at each of these loci, consistent with an H-2q origin for the two novel 1591 class I genes. Interestingly, the third tumor gene, designated A216, shares certain characteristics with the H-2Ks antigen, reminiscent of the naturally occurring combination of H-2Ks, H-2Dq, and H-2Lq antigens found in some Swiss mouse strains. As a result, we propose that the non-C3H/HeN characteristics displayed by the 1591 tumor point to a non-C3H origin for the novel tumor class I genes of 1591.

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